


JasperTale

by saltyspacerock (orphan_account)



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon), Undertale
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Gen, NO GENOCIDE, Other, confusion about Earth terms, pacifist, yoooo so it looks like I'm doing this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-06-08 18:13:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6868042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/saltyspacerock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>...</p><p>I blame Tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The thud of her body landing in the chasm reverberated around the walls. She had fallen right onto her back, her muscular frame surrounded by a bed of flowers. It hurt like all hell, and she was pretty sure her gem may be a bit chipped, but she was alive.

Regaining consciousness within seconds, her eyes fluttered open, pupils dilating when the sunshine above shone in from miles up. _Wh--_ She thought. _What on Homeworld happened...?_ She hefted herself to her feet, grunting a bit. Looking up to the sky, she sneered, collecting her thoughts. She remembered falling... but what happened before that? Those Crystal Rejects had split her from Lazuli-- anger flooded her body, causing her to ball her fists and let out a cry of misery, echoing from the walls. Damn it! They had gotten away, and she didn't get to shatter them as planned... Yellow Diamond wouldn't be pleased about this.

Crossing her arms, sneering at the miserable Earth life around her, she looked for a way out. She could try to claw her way back up... but there was no use in doing that. Even if she would sacrifice even her pride just to get a hit on those disgusting traitors and pathetic excuse for a Rose Quartz, she was sure they were long gone rom that island by now. She huffed, cracking her knuckles to release some tension. She pondered possible escape tactics...

Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed an opening on the wall opposite her-- a possible way out. Gratefully grasping this chance, she ran through the corridor, kicking and uprooting flowers in her wake, and came to a clearing. A big black room similar to the one she was last in, but a yellow flower stood in this one.

"Ugh," She snarled, pointed teeth clenched. "Not more of this Earth nonsense." Frustration built up inside her. She strode forward, about to crush the flora under her heel... when it spoke.

"Howdy!" It greeted her cheerfully, startling her. She put her foot down, withdrawing from the creature. _These things... they aren't supposed to talk._ She thought, shaking her head. Her long, pale red hair swayed.

"You... what are you?" She asked with caution.

The thing smiled. "Howdy there, friend! I'm Flowey. Flowey the Flower!" It remarked happily, grinning much too widely. She was suspicious... despite clearly being something that was not supposed to speak, it's voice sounded like it was acting. Trying to deceive her. Well, she wasn't one whom could be easily fooled.

Snarling, she responded. "I'm not your friend, Earth scum. What are you? One of Rose's plants?" She interrogated.

Flowey feigned being hurt. "Why, how mean! But I understand. You must be so confused! I'm not a Rose, ha-ha-ha!" It continued cheerfully. The forced laughter was... unsettling. She wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"I don't have time for you." She began to go on her way when the flower said "You don't know how it works down here! You don't know about EXP, LOVE..."

She stopped in her tracks, started for a moment... then regained her posture. But not before a gasp escaped her lips. She turned around, noticing a smirk on the flower's face for just a moment. "What are those... terms?" She asked. "Some sort of Earth code?"

Flowey giggled. "Hee hee hee! No, silly. Someone oughta teach you how everything works here in the Underground! I think little ol' me will just have to do." He grinned widely. "Ready? Here we go!"

The room seemed to get darker around them, and her gem felt... warm. Full of life-- it was strange. Strange was bad-- she didn't like it. But whatever had happened had already started, and she couldn't stop it. Flowey grinned as white pellets appeared from behind him, floating in the air. She took a defensive stance, ready to protect herself.

"That gem on your face? That is your SOUL, the very culmination of your being!" She groaned. She knew this already. This shameful Earth being acted like she had just been born. But he prattled on, not noticing her obvious rage. "Your SOUL starts off weak, but can gain stronger if you gain lots of LV!" He made a slightly pouted face. "What's LV stand for, you may ask? WHy, LOVE! Of course!" He laughed.

There it was. That word again. It made her feel... unusual.

"You want some, don't you?" He continued, noticing her obvious discomfort. "Don't worry, ol' Flowey here will share some with you!" He winked with so much charm it made her sick. _Were all Earth beings this syrupy, soft and weak?_ She asked herself.  _No matter. I'll just leave him alone. Maybe if I follow his rules, I'll get through this disgusting pit faster._

"LOVE is shared through these little white.." He hesitated, plastering a fake smile on his face. "...friendliness pellets."

That settled it. She did not trust this creature. She curled her lip and waved her hand in dismissal. "That's it," She stated roughly. "You're not worth my time..." She sauntered towards a nearby exit.

The flower launched the bullets at her.

She summoned her weapon, a gem battle helmet, and all the bullets were deflected. They shot back at the flower, who dodged nimbly, despite being rooted in the ground. It faced her, a menacing look now showing it's true self. "YOU!"

She ran out of the room before it could do anything else to her. The bullets ricocheted off the wall, and she could her angered screaming from the other room. She sneered. Nothing could be trusted on this gemforsaken planet. The screams eventually quelled, and she allowed herself to relax-- but only a little. Her weapon disappeared. She observed her current surroundings. Two stairways were on each side of the room, leading up to a platform. Red flower petals littered the ground. She walked up one flight of stairs, noticing a doorway that opened into... another room, she was sure. She cursed under her breath.  _Lovely,_ She thought. _More archaic mess._ She walked up the stairs, thinking that--

She heard footsteps. Heavy ones.

She hastily got against the wall, summoning her weapon again. The footsteps were coming from whatever room the door to her left lead to. The approached closer, and closer, until--

The figure turned to her. It was... an animal? But human like. It had ivory white fur, long, flat ears, and a purple robe with a strange symbol on it. She could tell just by looking at it, that it was harmless-- the thing, a woman, presumably, had kind and welcoming eyes. Her stance lowered, and the stranger noticed her.

"Oh!" Hello, there." The monster smiled sweetly. "Are you lost? My name is Toriel-" She gave a respective little bow. "I am the caretaker of these Ruins."

"Hmm," The gem said, lowering her stance. This one was no use of her time either. Too nice. She obviously had good intentions, so she was not worth bothering. "Excuse me," She pushed past her, walking into the entrance-- a puzzle of some sort lay before her. Six panels lay on the floor, and a locked door seemed to have to be opened by them. The monster scurried in after.

"So, tell me, what is your name?" She asked, her voice friendly and sincere. She noticed the other looking curiously at the puzzle, and remarked "Oh! Yes! Well, you see, the Ruins are full of puzzles--"

"How do I get through?" The other interrupted. She didn't want any conversation-- she just wanted to get out.

Toriel seemed surprised for a moment, then laughed. "Eager to learn! Well, I am always happy to help." She smoothed out her robe. She stepped on a few of the panels, and the door opened. The gem blinked in surprise, and... slight admiration for her swift solving. She walked through, having to duck her head down a little, then regarded the monster.

"Thank you," She reluctantly said.

The monster smiled. "Now, tell me," She continued her conversation. "What is your name?"

She sighed. She didn't want to get friendly-- more accomplices would just slow her down. But what could it hurt?

"Jasper."


	2. Toriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper has realized that she does not like puzzles in the slightest.

It had been three hours, and Jasper concluded Toriel would not be back anytime soon.

She had been left alone, waiting for her to return. Entertainment wasn't mandatory, and all she had done was thoughts about what had happened in the past day or so-- solving the puzzles and such.

After a long amount of time solving those puzzles, she was annoyed. All of the tasks presented to her were embarrassingly easy. She had been walking around for what seemed like years, but she was in no position to complain. She was a brutal, hardened soldier, strengthened by years of battle. A little walk shouldn't have tired her out. Nonetheless, she just wanted to get through this hell as quickly as possible. She nodded her way through Toriel's instruction, even with the most basic of assignments. Don't step on the spikes, stay near her, do not engage the enemy unless they engage you, these were all beginner-level things.

The first of these trivial events was a simple task-- flip a switch, cross a bridge. That was all. She expected some sort of catch. Toriel had instructed her on what to do, (also including which way that Jasper should flip the switch-- there weren't every many options in that department.) and also told her, motherly love alight, that she had labeled the ones she needed to flip. Now this rubbed Jasper the wrong way; what kind of Gem did this beast think she was? An uneducated loafer? A dumb grunt?

She would have informed her that she was a proud member of Yellow Diamond's battalion, one of her strongest commanders as well. But looking at Toriel, Jasper deducted and concluded that this Earth creature was too backwards anyway to understand. The creature had no knowledge of Homeworld, she was sure... She was full of maternal love and protection, and that made her weak and unassuming. Jasper filed that little bit of information away for later. For now, she'd leave her be. Unless she... tried anything.

Jasper reluctantly flipped the switch (the correct way as well) and Toriel applauded, face beaming with pride. "Well done, well done!" She exclaimed, clapping her big, furry paws together. Jasper got an itch of irritation and set her jaw, ready for this to be over with. She went on her way to the other side of the bridge over a little creek. Jasper followed behind, wondering what the purpose of these puzzles were. Perhaps for protection? She decided she'd ask.

"Ahem..." Jasper cleared her throat. "Toriel? What exactly are these all here for?"

"Ah, I am glad you asked!" She remarked, looking over her shoulder towards the gem. "These puzzles are here to teach children like yourself about how the Underground operates..."

"Children?" Jasper interjected. "What's a 'children'?" She hoped she would learn some more information about Earth and it's puny, soft inhabitants. Better to gain more information than to be confused and left in the dark.

Surprisingly, the monster laughed. "That was funny, Jasper... flip the other switch over there, and I will continue."

Jasper's eyebrows arched, confused, then set straight. A glare formed on her face. Who did this "Toriel" think she was? To laugh at her face? She deserved more respect than this. She turned to the lever, a sneer on her face. The switch flipped, and she looked back to Toriel, muscular arms crossed. Toriel applauded yet again, smiling wide.

"Wonderful work!" She praised. She walked through the doorway behind her, leading into another room. "Well, the puzzles here to show children how the Underground operates, as I said before... but I assume you are not a child." She looked up at Jasper-- she was significantly taller than the monster. Toriel gave a light, bubbly laugh. She seemed surprised when Jasper returned her attempt at humor with an annoyed, stony stare. Toriel cleared her throat, and gestured to what seemed to be a training dummy behind her.

"Now, I would like to show you what rules we live by in the Underground. Sometimes, you will encounter a monster, and enter a fight." She explained. "This is caused because..."

Jasper lunged at the dummy in full force, crash helmet on her head. She knocked it over with a loud _whump,_ and she quickly had it pinned under her foot within seconds. Her meaty hand was clasped around the base of it's head, ready to crush it between her fingers. She smirked a toothy, fanged grin. There. Jasper was satisfied with this turnout-- of course it didn't restrain or struggle, so she had effortlessly taken it down. That should be satisfying to Toriel. She was sure that this simple Earth creature would finally realize her brute power, and--

Toriel had the most horrified look on her face that Jasper had ever seen.

Her eyes were wide, her paws were clasped over her open mouth, and she seemed to be... trembling. as if fear had completely overtaken her body. It was... unsettling, Jasper admitted to herself. She had never seen someone look so scared. Her opponents at least would pretend to be brave before she crushed them or they ran away, but this? This was unbridled terror that had overtaken this monster.

Jasper felt a pang of sympathy, surprise, and sorry, but quickly pushed those feelings down. What was she doing? She couldn't give anybody empathy. It was a waste of time; not to mention dangerous. Toriel was a potential enemy-- a threat, even. She was furry and soft on the outside, but the most kind-looking people could become her greatest enemies. She reminded Jasper of...

Jasper's grip on the dummy weakened, and she pulled away from it slowly, eyes trained on the monster the whole time. Her expression softened as she lifted her foot from the dummy's body and her helmet dissipated into thin air, the little jingle it made the only sound in the room. Jasper opened her mouth to speak when Toriel looked away, running her claws through her fur on her arms, pushing up her sleeves anxiously.

"That's... th-the next room awaits us."

She hastily left the room, her thick, thumping footsteps reverberating through the Ruins, leaving Jasper behind. She blinked. Why did she have such a heavy feeling in her chest? Why did she feel... sorry? She shouldn't have felt bad about this, she was _created_ for fighting. It was ridiculous... but... Toriel did have a good reason to be afraid. Jasper was a JASPER, a powerful fighting Gem. But until now, she never felt any dsorrow for her victims. But possibly just because Toriel was a bystander... She tried to shake the feelings away, balling and unballing her fists.

_Don't think like that. It'll only slow you down._

She walked through the doorway into another room. Toriel stood at the entrance to another hallway. She caught Jasper looking at her with a touch of unnoticed sympathy.

"I-I am sorry, I just..." She took a deep breath, forcing a fake smile on her face. "There is another puzzle in the next room. I wonder if you can solve it?" She walked into the corridor to her right.

Another thump of pity hit Jasper. Why was she feeling this? It was irritating... but it also actually... made her feel bad. Defeated. Like she was a traitor. _Is this what those Crystal Gems feel all the time?_ She wondered.  _It's... disgusting._ She suppressed those weak feelings yet again, and followed the monster.

She was two steps ahead of the gem, and Jasper only saw the hem of her purple robe turn behind the corner. She tried to catch up, but something--

A strange, bipedal Earth creature hopped in front of her. It look up at her with wide eyes, and made a strange noise. It sounded like... _ribbit?_ What was this thing? Jasper crouched down, observing it. It seemed to have no reaction to her presence. As if it were just... waiting. She felt the warmth in her Gem yet again.

She could feel Toriel watching her from behind the corner. For some reason, this... pressured her. Made her paranoid. If she had sweat glands, she'd probably be sweating. She focused on the Earth thing before her, wondering what to do. She couldn't quite... leave. That didn't feel right. Jasper cleared her throat. She kind of wanted to make it go away.

"Scram." She said, standing up. She began to walk away, but then something hit her gem. It was another one of those little white pellets. "Wh-"

They came in an barrage, which Jasper avoided quite swiftly. There weren't a lot of them, but there were enough to make her a little bit flustered. In other conditions, she'd be alright-- she hadn't expected this tiny thing to be an enemy. She swatted the pellets away, her face getting a red tinge. It was embarrassing that she even got hit at all. She turned around after the attack ended, and Toriel was walking past her. She moved out of the way quickly, hoping not to disturb her again.

Toriel stared down her snout at the Earth thing, her lip lifting into a small sneer. Her eyes narrowed. The creature looked at the floor shamefully, then slunked away from the two.

Toriel walked by Jasper after this wordless exchange, turning the corner again. Jasper hurriedly followed after, in... slight awe? No, no, not that. She shouldn't be impressed with a weak Earth creature scaring away a little pest. That was nothing to fawn over. _I don't feel any sense of admiration,_ She lied to herself.

Jasper entered the other room. This one was completely paved with what seemed to be spikes. Toriel was standing in front of the entryway to this room. She turned back to Jasper, not meeting her gaze. "This is the puzzle, but..." She hesitantly looked above Jasper's head. "May I see your hand for a moment?"

Jasper lifted her hand up limply, confused. Toriel took it in her own, interlacing her fingers between the spaces of Jasper's. They were furry and soft, and while Jasper expected her to have claws of some sort... there weren't any there. It was just comforting fluffiness. Jasper... enjoyed it. It was protective, and kind, and... she wanted to stay like this.

_Wait. No, stop._ Jasper thought, shaking her head. She couldn't feel any affection for anybody. This certainly wasn't any sort of infatuation, just.... a strange admiration. Like an athourity figure. But... kinder? She didn't have the words, so Jasper just decided to shove the thoughts away to make room for more practical things. She had to stay on her guard, no matter how sweet the Earth beings were.

She looked away from Jasper and lead her forward, tugging her gently towards the end. The spikes retreated into the ground under her weight. Toriel stepped carefully, her normal wide gait retreating to a much smaller, cautious one. Jasper followed in her footsteps until they reached the end.

Toriel and jasper stepped back onto solid ground. Toriel tried to pull away, but realized Jasper was still gripping her hand. Very tightly, actually.

"Jasper?" Questioned Toriel. She looked up to her quizzically.

Jasper blinked. "Hm?" She looked down to her hand still grasping Toriel's.

Oh.

She hastily released her her hand, pulling it to her body. "Excuse me." She said, slightly flustered. She hadn't meant to do that-- she was just so caught up thinking, she seemed to have forgotten that she was still holding toriel's hand. She ridiculed herself internally. A good soldier needs to be on her guard at all times, she couldn't get lost in her thoughts. "I-didn't mean to-- excuse me." She said intelligently.

Surprisingly, Toriel smiled slightly, then went on her way, explaining the next room in front of them as they entered. The task was to walk to the end of the room by herself. Another simple, pointless assignment. But, yet again, Jasper was in no place to complain about this training for Homeworld-knows-what. After the long walk to the other side, Toriel seemed quite satisfied with Jasper's progress.

"Well done." She said, smoothing out her robe. "Now, I believe I can trust you to be left alone?"

Jasper nodded. "Of course."

"That is good. I must run an errand, and you must stay here." She dug into a pocket on the side of her robe, searching for something. "Here," She handed Jasper a small, rectangular box. "This is a Cell Phone-- you can call me if you need me."

Jasper nodded again, taking the 'Cell Phone'.

"Be good, alright?" Toriel asked sincerely.

On instinct, Jasper gave the Diamond Salute, forming the shape with her hands. "Yes, ma'am."

After a shocked moment, Toriel laughed. "Jasper, you are very funny... I am glad I found you. Well, I will see you later." She walked out the doorway with a little wave, and Jasper awkwardly returned the gesture.

When she could no longer hear the monster's footsteps, she leaned against the pillar, patient. She played with the phone in her hands, letting out a little sigh. Earth was not her favorite place, but this... 'Toriel'? She was tolerable. Forgiving. A good temporary athourative figure. _But,_ She reminded herself. _Not better than Yellow Diamond. She will forever be your monarch and no one else._

Little did she know of the little yellow flower that watched her think, then disappear into the Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DONT TAKE THE TORI/JASPER INTERACTION AS A SHIP BECAUSE I DON'T THInk that would work and i didn't intend it to be romantic but if u ship it I respect ur opinion so just respect others k thank u for reading.
> 
> ...
> 
> (ACTUALLY THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CUTE SHIP EVEN THO I'M PARTIAL TO UNDYNE/JASPER AS A BROTP)


	3. A Home (?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper has a chance to live a calm life with Toriel. Do you wonder if she will take that chance?

Jasper had enough. She was tired from waiting for so long. Not to mention she was already irritable because of her personality.

Toriel had been gone for hours on end, and Jasper was beginning to wonder if she should go after her. _She told me to stay here,_ She thought.  _But she never mentioned when she would be back. or even for what reason I was told to stay here._ Of course, she did have a means of communication with the monster-- _s_ he just had no idea how to work this ancient communication device-- or a "cell Phone" and she nearly crushed it in her meaty hands. The tiny buttons were labeled with human numerals, and they were far too difficult to decipher. She eventually gave up and discarded it.

Leaning her head back on the pillar, she looked up and let out a bored sigh.

...

Alright. She was getting out of here.

Hefting herself to her feet, she exited the room. As she left, Jasper thought she heard a sort of... ringing? She shook her head and continued, ignoring the sound of the cell phone.

She saw another "frog" outside the entrance, and it made a noise in the back of its throat. Like a "croak". Jasper quickly avoided it, hoping to not engage in another embarrassing encounter.

Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she noticed a yellow glimmer of a diamond-- she got excited. Had Yellow Diamond come to rescue her? Was she sending her some sort of bizarre signal? She rushed over to the shine and rested her hand on it. Yet again, her gem filled with a strong warmth. As if all her pain had vanished in an instant. She felt satisfied until she looked under her feet, and saw that she was standing on red flower petals.

She bitterly prayed that those weren't rose petals.

* * *

 

The next few minutes/hours were of the gem navigating her way from a series of puzzles.

Jasper had fallen through unsteady ground, but soon made her way back up, thankfully. She had pushed buttons, hoping that maybe this one would open the exit. She had pushed rocks (one had talked back to her-- after picking it up and putting it on the correct spot, she quickly excused herself.) She pushed a ghost out of her way, hastily walking through it, unfazed. It seemed sad, but she had more important things to do than comfort some strange earth creature. After huffing a quick apology (that seemed to satisfy it as it dissipated-- Earth beings are so weird) the gem went on her frustrated way, wishing Toriel didn't ditch her. She walked through the twisting hallways, almost getting lost once or twice. Luckily, she found her way through.

But, possibly, at one point... she may or may not have smashed in a red button because it was the third one that didn't do anything. And that she thought it was mocking her. But that's besides the point.

Anyway. The  _monsters._

They would come out at her at any moment, making her jump the first few times and go into a battle stance, crash helmet on her head. But after about her fourteenth encounter, she realized that these creatures were much weaker than she was. Yet again, she had felt that familiar stab of pity in her heart. She couldn't hurt them. They're were just so small, and weak, and... unassuming. She never killed any of them-- she just spared them with an annoyed grumble. Jasper was a warrior, but she wasn't one who would massacre creatures who just wanted to protect their home. She would avoid them as much as possible. They were more of an annoyance than anything, so it was better to just focus on finding Toriel.

The purple hue of all the rooms was becoming blurred with tire as Jasper thought. _Why did that Toriel leave me?_ She contemplated as she stepped over some red flower petals.  _I probably should have stayed. She'll probably scold me..._ She scowled bitterly.  _No matter. It won't be too bad, coming from her._

She finally rounded a corner, hoping that there would be no puzzles ahead. Of course, she had been hoping that for the last eight rooms. By now, the gem had her fill of puzzles. She looked down the hall, vines and weeds growing out of the ground, and saw an old "tree" with no leaves a few meters in front of her. She heaved a breath and walked towards it.

A voice spoke out.

"Oh, dear... I wonder if I left them for too long... I should call them."

It was Toriel! Finally! Maybe Jasper could get an explanation as to why she had assigned Jasper to a seemingly permanent post without good reason.

Jasper rounded the tree, being spotted by the monster. Toriel's mouth made a little 'o' in surprise, and then quickly gained a smile. "Ah! So there you are! How are you?... Not hurt." She continued, after observing Jasper's body for wounds. "...Very impressive. I am glad you are alright... You were not answering my calls, and I became worried."

Jasper nodded, sucking in a breath through her teeth. "Right. Sorry..." She grunted. "Didn't know how to use the... 'phone'."  _At least she didn't yell at me._ She thought.  _She doesn't seem like the type._

"I see. Well, nonetheless, it was irresponsible to surprise you like this--" She caught herself. After a long moment, she smiled sheepishly. "Er, well... I believe I cannot hide it any longer. Come, my child!" The monster grinned, gesturing towards the end of the hall. Toriel trotted off towards a quaint little hut made of brick. 

 _...What on Homeworld is a 'child'?_ Jasper pondered confusedly. She dismissed the thought, adding it to the list of Earth terms she was confused about. The gem quickly followed after Toriel, who seemed very thrilled to show her this 'surprise'.

Once Jasper entered, she took in the surroundings. First off-- cozy. **Very** cozy. Wooden walls and floor, soft rugs, tiny little cabinets and bedside stands. A stairwell leading into another purple room. Hallways on either side. And a delicious smell. Despite Jasper's gem being her nose, she could smell just as fine as anyone else. The gem too a deep, strong inhale, filling her chest with air. She let it out in a strong, hearty _woosh_ , a smile stretching itself across her face. Something about it was so... nice. Relaxing. As if she could stay like this for a long, long time.

"Do you smell that?" Toriel asked. "It is a butterscotch-cinnamon pie!" 

Jasper had no idea what any of those things were, but it all sounded lovely.

"And I have another surprise for you." Toriel smiled a fanged grin and took Jasper's hand once more. Her fur brushed over Jasper's skin, making the gem shiver. She let the monster lead her into the hallway, and they stopped abruptly in front of a door.

"It is a room of your own!" She said cheerily, looking up expectantly at Jasper's face.

"Really?" Jasper asked. "That's so... kind of you." She was still smiling a little-- the sheer amount of kindness was almost overwhelming. First, a 'pie' (whatever that was) and now provided lodgings of her own? She wondered if this was a way as Toriel asserting herself as a possible new General.

 _Or,_ She thought,  _She is just being kind for the sake of being kind._

Toriel suddenly took a few sniffs and mumbled "Uhm... i-is something burning?" Then quickly covered up the pervious statement with a stilted "Make yourself at home!" then hastily made her way in the opposite direction.

 Jasper watched her go until she rounded a corner, then turned back to the door. She opened the door, peeking inside. It was a little dark, but the light from the hallway provided enough light to see.

It was a very small room-- Jasper had to stoop her head low to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling. A small bed was up against a wall, and multiple creature-resembling playthings sat at the foot of the bed. Strange. Why anyone would make toys of dangerous Earth animals was beyond her. She shrugged and continued scanning the area. A box of small footwear resided next to a short dresser. A wooden wardrobe stood in between the bed and the dresser. Many of the surfaces were coated in a thin layer of dust. The room was a calm tone of red.

Jasper carefully sat herself on the bed, hoping it would not collapse under her weight. The blanket was soft and thick, and it reminded her of how tired she was. Her eyelids felt heavy, and her energy was drained. Hours of solving various puzzles could take motivation out of anyone, even a hardy Jasper such as herself. She decided just to rest for no more than an hour or two-- she had to ask Toriel when she could leave.

The gem draped the quilt over her shoulders like a shawl, the lay in the bed. She had to mold her form into a fetal position to fit just enough. It was snug, but comfortable.

She relaxed, letting out a deep breath. Within moments, she was asleep.

* * *

 

She had no idea how much time had passed once she woke up.

Her eyelids fluttered open as she gathered her surroundings. This... this wasn't--

She fell out of the bed, surprised. A momentary feeling of panic fled across her mind until she assessed what had happened.

Fallen down a hole... a yellow flower... a gentle monster... puzzles, puzzles... more puzzles... a cozy home... and now she was here.

She let out a sigh, putting her hand on her chest, and the other on the floor. Her fingertips rested on something cold and hard, and she turned to see what it was.

It was a slice of something brown and triangular, with a little creamy white puff of something coming off the top. Her fingers rested on the platter it was served on. _Oh,_ She thought. _This must be the... "Pie"._ She picked it up, hefting herself to her feet. She observed the pie from all angles, making sure that it did not fall off of the plate. What was she supposed to do with it? Was this some sort of bizarre peace offering? It confused her, narrowing her eyes at the dessert. One thing was certain to her-- it smelled divine.

Staring at it curiously, sniffing it a little, she decided to ask Toriel what it was. She seemed to have created it, after all.

Opening the door to the hallway, she stepped out and walked towards where she believed Toriel would be. She had run this way before Jasper had fallen asleep.

Sure enough, there she was-- relaxing in an easy chair, reading something. She had glasses on, and seemed very absorbed in whatever the book was about. A fire was lit beside her, casting shadows and flickering. Jasper walked up to her, clearing her throat. The monster looked up.

"Oh, you are awake." She smiled, shutting her book. "How did you sleep?"

Jasper didn't usually sleep, so the experience was... quite new to her. It was alright. "Fine, thank you." She said curtly. She lifted the pie up to eye level. "Toriel... can you inform me of the purpose of this... 'Pie'?"

Toriel looked at her strangely, narrowing her eyes and tilting her head. "...You truly are serious this time?" She asked. _What sort of question is that?_ Jasper thought. She nodded.

"It's for eating." Toriel responded. "I'm not sure if you preferred cinnamon or butterscotch, so I added both. Try some!" She offered happily, then stopped herself. "Oh my, you don't have a fork... pardon me, I will go get you one." She lifted herself out of her chair a little difficulty, then made her way to a room behind her. Jasper followed after.

"That isn't the only thing I wanted to ask you," Jasper said. She had a lump in her throat. Even though this place was... nice... she couldn't stay here. She needed to get back to the surface. She would rather leave this underworld of a place than stay here, even if Toriel was very kind. Perhaps that was why it was so hard to ask her to go-- maybe Jasper didn't want to hurt Toriel's feelings.

She steeled herself and went in to ask the question. Toriel had her back to the gem, and was trifling through drawers, looking for a "fork". She was humming happily. Toriel looked so... delicate. That seemed to make this all the more difficult.

 _No,_ Jasper thought. _I can do this. I won't be weak-- I have more important things to do than lounge around. Toriel will be just fine on her own._ She lied to herself yet again.

Jasper bit her lip and asked, "When may I... leave?" She said.

Toriel abruptly stopped humming. "What?" She asked.

"I-I mean, I-it's not that I don't admire your hospitality." She added hastily. A thud of pity seemed to have sucker punched her in the gut. The gem still pressed on. "Really, I do. It's just..." She mumbled, placing the pie on the countertop. "I... have other places to be. So, Toriel... if you could show me to the exit, I--"

"I have to do something." Toriel remarked, brushing past Jasper quickly. Her footsteps could be heard going down the flight of stairs.

Jasper hurriedly followed after, lamenting her asking to leave. Was it the word choice? Had Toriel possibly become offended by Jasper wanting the leave? But right now, she was more so worried about what Toriel was about to do than what Jasper had said. She seemed very... disturbed about something. Perhaps Jasper could provide some comfort, and possibly redeem herself.

She thundered down the stairs, and found herself in a purple corridor. Toriel stood a few meters away. "Toriel, I--"

"You wish to know how to leave so badly?" The monster remarked. The dripping sweetness in her voice had vanished, now replaced by cold, hard malice. It shocked Jasper, throwing her off guard. The gem remained silent for a few seconds, then regained her posture. She had to leave, and she wouldn't let Toriel stop her. When a gem was assigned a mission, she would complete it-- no matter what obstacle stood in her way. Her worry dissipated as she realized what Toriel was robbing her of-- freedom. This wasn't right. Jasper didn't belong here. She didn't belong in the Underground, much less the Earth. This simple creature though she could deprive Jasper of her own will? Pathetic nonsense. She would get out of here.

A bout of determination rushed through her, filling her to the brim with confidence as she spat "Of course."

Toriel continued cooly, without hesitation. "Ahead of us lies the exit to the Ruins." She muttered. "A one way passage to the rest of the underground."

She turned her head slightly to Jasper. Her face still wasn't visible, but her voice was clear.

"I am going to destroy it. No one will ever be able to leave again." She began to walk forward. "Now, be a good child and go upstairs."

Back upstairs? A child?! No. Jasper would not tolerate this. This woman thought that she would follow her orders so submissively-- she was wrong. She had no authority over Jasper. Jasper followed behind, mere steps away.

"You can't--" Jasper began, but she was interrupted.

"I can, and I will. You cannot live out there." She remarked. "This is your final warning." Toriel turned around, face stony and set. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her teeth clenched. Jasper saw no weakness in her eyes. It was almost alarming how serious she was. "Go back upstairs." She continued, turning a corner.

 Of course, thriving off of stubbornness and persistence, Jasper followed.

Toriel stood, back turned, in front of a large doorway with a large insignia carved into it; an exact replica of the one Toriel wore so proudly. The monster turned around, a mixture of disappointment and anger on her face.

"You... you are just like all the others." She grumbled. "You won't be able to live. You will die, just like all the others." Her voice was rising. "And who will I have then?! Who shall I care for?! Who will care for me?!" A flicker of morose revealed itself across her face. She soon recovered, settling herself back into a stoic position. "Prove to me, then..."

The room became darker, the only source of light coming for balls of fire that had suddenly appeared without warning around Toriel. The feeling of warmth encased Jasper's gem yet again. _No,_ she thought, _I don't want to do this._

Toriel tried to ignore the tears welling up in her eyes, but shouted:

"Prove to me that you are strong enough to survive!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG?! WHAT A CLIFFHANGER????? You'll have to stick around to see what happens next ohohoho
> 
> the third installment of this meme you all seem to like so much. Thanks for being interested in my garbage. That's actually progressively turning more serious.


	4. Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper must battle Toriel for freedom. Will she destroy the monster effortlessly? Or will Toriel be spared?

Jasper's body shook.

No, no... this couldn't be. Her newfound mentor, someone whom cared about her in this way... she couldn't fight Toriel. Not like this. The thought of killing her made the gem have a thick, heavy feeling in her body, constricting her, making it difficult to breathe. Her lips parted in surprise, taking a step back, trying to find her footing. She didn't want to do this. She had no desire to harm Toriel. Jasper didn't feel the normal surge of anger and energy that would flood her body when about to battle or spar-- she just felt afraid.

She had no problem destroying other enemies-- nameless, faceless gems who attacked her without mercy and didn't know her. She could slaughter them all in an instant. Being in a war would harden you, make you numb to death and destruction. Killing was easier than one would think-- it could be done in many different ways. Jasper did it so many times, it was nearly instinctive to chant the ways and list them off in her head. Strangling, stabbing, crushing, torturing, clubbing, breaking their bones one by one...

But thinking about doing this to Toriel made her sick. It made her even sicker that it seemed Toriel wanted to do this to her.

Why was she feeling this wake of emotion now? Why did she feel pity and fear for this Earth being?

...

_No,_ She thought. _I have to do this. This is no time to be weak._ She clenched her fists. _You are a Jasper. A hardened war soldier. A meek creature like this won't make you fear it._

Jasper forced herself to shove all of the emotions away, to act like this was a gem she didn't know. Acting like this was a gem she must destroy on the battlefield. Acting like this was a gem she was designed, trained, created to destroy.

She closed her eyes, envisioning Toriel as someone else. As a gem she utterly wanted to crush, to beat, to kill. She imagined pummeling her into the earth, making her body vanish in a puff of dust, and driving her heel through that tauntingly pink gem of hers.

She opened her eyes and saw no one but Rose Quartz.

Jasper lunged of the monster, who quickly evaded the attack. Jasper observed, even for her first move, she moved swiftly, sturdily, no unnecessary movements. Toriel responded by throwing fireballs, her hands guiding the flame as it flew at the gem. Jasper caught an ember in her hair, but it quickly put out after being pat out. _Clever,_ Jasper thought. This wouldn't continue for long. The two circled silently for a few moments, eyes glaring, daring one another to move. This quiet stalemate lasted too long for Jasper's taste.

The gem lunged, a punch connecting with Toriel's body. It wasn't a smart move, but more so a gamble on who would come out victorious-- an experimental attack. The monster is clearly not as experienced with head on attacks, as she gets hit all too easily. She made a little pained noise before swiftly swiping a foot underneath Jasper's legs, causing her to fall over. Taking advantage of Jasper's size. _Good! It's not completely one-sided,_ she thinks, her fiery spirit returning. Jasper flipped up from the ground, righting herself when another fireball came in contact with her. It seared her, directly in the crook of her elbow, but she forced the feeling of burning agony engulfing her arm away. She couldn't focus on that now. She just needed to _win._

The monster released more fire in front of her, the flames looping with one another, forming spaces where Jasper could safely reside. Jasper dove in and out of the fire that surrounded her-- no burns this time, thank Homeworld. The pain in her elbow had turned into a series of angry blisters, which began to sting and burn.

Jasper summoned her helmet, then went charging at the monster yet again, laughing haughtily, mouth stretched in a disgusting grin. Toriel could not move out of the way quickly enough, but she did manage to grab the helmet in her hands-- her arms cracked a bit as they were pushed back. Jasper continued on running into the Monster until she slammed Toriel against the door. The monster still held strong onto the helmet, grunting and huffing until she finally tossed the gem off with a surge of power. Jasper's feet slid across the stony floor before landing a few meters away, teeth gritted. Toriel truly was strong when she wanted to be.

The monster spread her arms out, two large, ghostly replicas of her paws appearing behind her. The paws swept around Jasper, trying to get a hit on her-- the gem was too nimble to be caught. Although surprised for a moment, she rolled across the floor, righting herself as quickly as she fell. She lunged yet again at Toriel.

She was too clumsy, and became caught in a barrage of fire.

Screaming out in pain, she fell to the ground, clasping her hands around her shoulders, her legs, her face. Her body became engulfed in burns and sores and blisters and bruises and cuts, and it seared like all hell. It felt as if her skin were melting, as if she would collapse in upon her self at any moment. She couldn't ignore this, she couldn't deny this. She was so close to dying-- she could be shattered at any moment by Toriel.

The gem forcefully raised herself to her feet, fists clenched, baring her teeth through the pain. There was no way she could win now, not with all; these wounds. Even a stubborn gem like Jasper could realize that. She looked Toriel directly in the face, as if daring her to obliterate Jasper.

Toriel stared at Jasper hesitantly, no emotion on her face. She looked away, releasing what seemed to be the final attack. Jasper closed her eyes and waited for impact.

...

5 seconds passed. The 10. Then 15 more. Nothing had touched Jasper. She felt nothing except for her already existing wounds.

She opened her eyes carefully, looking at Toriel. The monster was avoiding eye contact. When she saw that Jasper caught her gaze, she waved her hand, sending another wave of fire Jasper's way.

The tiny embers fell to the ground and fizzled out, yards away from Jasper's feet. The gem looked up, eyes wide, blinking.

Could... could Toriel not finish her off? Was this monster truly filled with so much compassion that she could not bring herself to kill Jasper, even after trying so hard to destroy her before?

_This is your chance,_ a voice said. _This is your time to destroy her. She's weak. She's frail. She thought she could defeat you, but she can't. She's useless. Can't you see that? Now kill her. That would be an act of mercy. Wiping her off of the face of this miserable planet. No one will miss her. No one will grieve. That just makes it all the more satisfying. Do it, do it, do it._

The voice in her head continued to chant. Her hands curled into fists, muscles tensing, readying themselves to strike. Readying to land the final blow. She envisioned Rose Quartz, standing there, mocking her just by still living, by still breathing. _Do it do it do it do it do it..._ The voices words blurred together into meaningless noise. Her brain was filled with the intent for killing Toriel, once and for all. This is what she was made for, after all. The pain she previously felt seemed to vanish.

Jasper walked forward slowly, deliberately, head down. Her long hair masked her face. Toriel noticed her walking forwards, then slowly stepped back until she had nowhere to escaped-- she was cornered by Jasper, her back pressed up against the wall. Her face was the pure embodiment of fear, eyes tearing up, body trembling. The gem trapping her had no reaction to this.

Jasper reeled back ready to strike--

...

Her fist fell.

She had no more energy left inside her. In that moment, seconds before she was to end Toriel's life-- she felt an overwhelming sense of... pity. But more than that. Sorrow. Pain in her chest, squeezing tighter and tighter. Her eyes became wet. Her breathing became ragged. Any fire she had left drained from her spirit, leaving her empty.

Before she knew what she was doing, she threw her arms around Toriel in a strong embrace.

After a few moments that seemed like years, Toriel shoved her away, summoning more fire in her paws. Her face was a mixture of fear and sadness-- like regret. Remorse. Jasper felt surprised at her own outburst of dulled emotion, but had no time to remain shocked. Toriel finally pierced the silence that had been around the room since she had last challenged Jasper.

"What are you doing?!" She threw a flame at Jasper that was easily dodged by the gem.

"I won't do it." Jasper whispered. After a few seconds, jasper repeated the phrase, louder. "I won't do it."

"Attack or run away!!" Toriel screamed, gritting her teeth and closing her eyes forcefully. Launching more careless throws at the gem, Jasper nimbly dodged yet again, sweeping her hands across the air.

"I will not fight you, Toriel!" Jasper said in a forced, even tone. While she was worried for the monster and herself, she need to remain in control. She needed to show that she was giving the monster mercy. She didn't want to fight any more.

"What are you proving to me this way?!" She asked, her voice wavering. "Fight me or **LEAVE!** " She punctured her last word with a blaze rocketing from her hands once more, nearly roasting Jasper. The gem dove to the side, tucking and rolling, landing on her feet.

"Stop it," She said, her voice shaking harder and harder. Toriel turned her head away from Jasper. "Stop looking at me that way." She swept her hand, jerking it to the other side over her body. Flames erupted from her arm, preventing Jasper from getting any closer.

A few seconds passed, and the fire weakened, eventually fading pathetically to nothing.

Toriel finally looked at Jasper desperately. "Please," She whispered. "I--" She gulped, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I... I know you want to go home, but..." Toriel clasped her paws together.

Jasper did nothing. Her chest was hollow.

"I promise I will take care of you as well as I can." She said hopefully. "We... do not have much, but..." She attempted to smile, but it came out as a strangled lip movement. She turned her head down, looking up at Jasper sorrowfully, pitifully. She bit the side of her finger.

Jasper did nothing. She stared down at the monster, eyes sad.

"But... but please..." She sniffed, hands falling to her sides. They were clenched. "We... the two of us can have a good life here." Tears were welling up in her eyes. She blinked hard, trying to get the tears away, but that only made them roll off her cheeks.

Jasper did nothing, except walking towards the sad monster, arms outstretched yet again. She crouched down to Toriel's level, one knee on the ground.

Toriel sobbed and reached out to the gem, holding her tightly. Jasper heard the strangled breaths and choking cries in her ear. Toriel gripped onto Jasper's muscular shoulders tightly, claws digging into her skin. Jasper didn't care. All she cared about right now was Toriel. She didn't want the monster to live like this. She didn't want her to cry. Jasper closed her eyes and pulled Toriel closer, chin resting on her broad shoulder. She realized how strong the monster's grip was.

After moments that seemed like years, Toriel whispered into Jasper's ear.

"Why are you making this so difficult...?" Her voice was weak and empty.

"I don't want to." Jasper replied.

Toriel released a shaky breath. "I don't want to let go..." She whispered so softly that Jasper had to strain to hear her.

"Me either, Toriel."

The two chuckled weakly.

The monster finally pulled away from Jasper's strong grasp. Her paws still rested on Jasper's shoulders. She looked down at the ground, drawing in a deep, steady breath. "Pathetic, is it not?" She asked. "I cannot save even a single child... let alone, you, Jasper." Releasing a breath, she shook her head.

"Toriel--" Jasper started, trying to start an apology.

"No," Toriel said strongly, firmness returning to her voice. "No, I... understand." She looked into Jasper's eyes tenderly, a small smile appearing on her face. "You would just be unhappy trapped down here.... The Ruins are quite small once you get used to them. It would not be right for you to live in a place such as this."

She nodded, bobbing her head up and down, drawing her face closer to Jasper's. Her eyes were filled with motherly love and acceptance. "My expectations... My loneliness... My fear..." Her shoulders fell, loosening, relaxing. She tilted her head down and looked into Jasper's eyes, the small smile growing into a bigger, yet sadder one. 

"For you, my child, I will put them aside."

Jasper's heart melted as her vision blurred and she fell into Toriel's arms yet again. Her shoulders heaved up and down as hot tears rolled down her cheeks, filled with sadness and happiness and relief and fear and everything in between-- all she realized now was that she felt better like this than any other time she was fighting. Being embraced by someone whom had taught her and cared about her and fought her, FOR her... it was an overwhelming wave of emotion.

And she had never been happier to feel it. Maybe she had become weaker, and she didn't mind all that much. Maybe this was a bad thing in the future. Possibly, this was a mistake, sparing Toriel like this.

But right now, she didn't care.

Toriel pat Jasper'a back with such affection that it nearly made Jasper chuckle. This monster just radiated maternal love. Jasper was the one to pull away this time, brining her hands back down to her sides.

"Promise me you will be safe out there, my child." Toriel said. Jasper nodded forcefully, hair bouncing.

"Of course. I know how to protect myself." She answered, smiling a little. "Take care of yourself, please. Alright? Don't get sad over me." She requested gently.

Toriel nodded gently in response. "Of course... I will remember you, Jasper." She squeezed Jasper's hand with such strength and power... and all of Jasper's wounds disappeared. She was shocked. Was this some sort of... healing magic? She interlaced her fingers with Toriel's giving her hand a gentle grasp. Toriel's paws were still furry and soft. So comforting and sweet...

"But, please..." She said quietly. "Do not come back once you have left."

Jasper nodded solemnly. "I'll... I'll miss you, Toriel."

"I will miss you as well." Toriel stepped back, looking at Jasper one last time. A smile spread across her face. "Well," She smiled. "Goodbye, my child."

She released her hand and walked away, leaving Jasper's view. Her footsteps reverberated through the empty room. The gem refused to look back... but she could feel the monster's eyes on her. She listened quietly for her padded footsteps to resume, then disappear once again.

Never had silence been so loud.

Jasper drew in another breath, then pushed to door open. Another hallway stretched before her.

As she walked, she didn't think. She just remembered. She just thought of all the events that happened only a few moments ago. Her memories blurred together, being recalled out of order. Toriel's tight embrace. The burning sensation in her body. The monster's fur against her palm. Toriel's tears. Her scream. The fire that engulfed her body.

A heavy thud hit her in the stomach again. Sadness was setting in as she realized the magnitude of the situation-- it was certain that the two would never see one another again. She placed a hand on her chest, lamenting her lack of time spent with Toriel. She never spoke much to her, but had colossal feelings for the Earth creature. She felt safer in her presence.

Jasper returned to reality when she entered a dark room. A small patch of grass lay a few meters away.

What stood in it was a single, yellow, smiling flower.

"Clever," he said eyelids lowered, venom in his voice. "Verrrryyyyy clever." Smirking, he looked up to Jasper, who didn't dare move.

"I'll bet you think you're really smart, don't you?" He mocked, laughing. "You spared the life of a single person."

His face suddenly twisted into a hideous fanged grin. "But what will you do when you meet a relentless killer? Hm? Will you still think your pathetic method with work? I'll tell you what you'll happen. You'll die. And what will you do then?" He said, face returning to normal. "Will you kill out of frustration?" He said in a mock curious tone. "Or will you give up on this world entirely...? Hm, I wonder which one."

He stuck his tongue out playfully. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."

Jasper grit her teeth. "Bite your tongue before I crush you under my foot." She threatened.

"Oh! Feisty. That attitude could have served you well when that old hag tried to beat you." Jasper was taken aback by this statement.

"If you keep up this little shtick, you know what will happen?" He asked again. "You'll die and you'll die and you'll die. I don't think you're strong enough to be anything like I expected you to be-- you're weak." He spat. "This world is kill or be killed. And if you don't take advantage of it, well..." He laughed. "You won't last very long here."

Another grin and a wink crossed his face. "Well, nice seeing you again, pal!" he mused. "Hope you'll run into your old friend Flowey another time. Bye!"

The flower slunk into the ground, and Jasper spat on the place where he was sprouted.

That thing... "Flowey"... it was disgusting. He had no reason to be on this planet except to make Jasper a little less faithful in Earth life. Toriel was a wonderful example of the few good things that dwelled here, but that vile weed? It made her angry. This life didn't seem now to be like anything that Flowey had described. The Jasper that was in the war may have believed it, but...

She silenced the thought as she approached another door. The one that lead outside.

This was it-- she would be out of the Ruins after this.

Yet again, she willed herself not to look back. She focused forward, taking step after step towards the door.

She pushed it open with no effort, light streaking into the dark room she was in.


	5. Boney Brothers!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper stumbles upon a pair of skeleton siblings.

The air outside the door was the first thing Jasper noticed. Fresh. Strong. Pure. Clear. It was so much better than musty, warm, collective drafts. The change was so drastic, the gem nearly gasped after stepping into the frigid outside. Like emerging from a dark, dank cave out into the wide open world.

_Oh, wait. That is what happened._ Jasper thought snidely.

Dismissing the thought, she turned around. The large door behind her had closed with a _whump_ , scattering dust in all directions. Jasper coughed, waving her hands in front of her face to clear away the debris. She opened her eyes and blinked, only to be met with the purple insignia on the closed doors. 

For a moment, she just stared at the shut exit to the Ruins. A certain heaviness filled her. Jasper's knees felt weak. Her hands felt shaky. Something about looking at the doors made her feel... defeated. Toriel's departure still lingered fresh in her mind, and negative feelings and thoughts lingered with it. After all, that had happened only minutes ago. The thought of the Earth beast giving her such a sad smile, letting go of her hands, then departing--!

Jasper sniffed. She shook her head, moving on. _I'm not sad,_ she told herself. She didn't get "sad" or "upset". Emotions didn't get in the way during battle-- they couldn't. She wasn't designed for that. Feelings were an anchor, something that would drag her and be her downfall. She was on a mission, and nothing would stop her from its completion.

Not to mention she didn't do that one thing... what was it called...? Right. "Cry". She never did this... "cry". The "crying" was a sign of weakness; she wouldn't bring herself down to that.

She was just a little... wary, that was all. On her guard. This was her first time tin the Underground without Toriel's gentle guidance and lessons. This was new, uncharted territory...  _But I'll be fine,_ She assured herself. She had been through years of war, so simple Earth creatures would have nothing in comparison to that. After all, when she stayed on Earth she hadn't been "poofed" even once. And although Lazuli had taken over her in that wretched fusion... Jasper shook her head and continued on her way, focusing on her surroundings. She had to gain a better understanding of her terrain before anything.

The ground was littered with a cold, powdery white substance. Curious. She hadn't been informed about this type of Earth substance; she'd have to research it. The "trees" around her were barren and thin-- as if completely malnourished. They stood stall, dark, and ominous... nothing moved. Everything was completely still. Jasper could almost hear a deep, droning noise in the back of her head. Darkness stood behind the already suspicious scenery. She set her jaw and shoulders and moved on, steeping carefully, snow crunching under her large feet.

A long, flat pathway lay in front of her. She turned her head, side to side, surveying the area for any sign of life. Nothing. The only thing she could see near her was a large stick on the ground. She stepped over it, paying the twig no mind. Wondering where this ominous path lead, she put a large hand to her chin, surveying the dirt road in the distance. Where did this path lead?

"Hrm." She grunted in thought, distracted.

_Who would walk through here...?_ Jasper pondered.  _The tall trees make for a stealthy hiding place, so it would be simple to assassinate anyone out here._ She smiled a toothy grin while thinking about this.  _Very useful, very useful. It would be over quickly-- little resistance if you timed it right. You could truly get the higher advantage by using this tactic... think of all the people you--_

**Snap.**

Jasper whipped around, but there was nothing there.

Except for the large, thick stick, reduced to splinters.

Jasper turned around, now incredibly cautious. A slight notice of panic crept up in her throat. She stepped forward carefully, getting further away from the snapped stick. She turned in circles as she walked, her mind pacing, scanning the area for a potential attacker.  _Don't panic,_ She thought.  _You're trained for this. Should a surprise attacker get you, you know the necessary procedures... No sudden movements. Careful._ She bit her full lip and nodded. Turning forward, she noticed a structure a few meters away-- a bridge. An escape, wonderful. She sped up her pace ever so slightly, making her way to the wooden structure.

She finally reached the frame-- upon closer inspection, it was quite crooked and wobbly with even the slightest breeze. That couldn't support her weight. And that was all fine and dandy anyway, because there were wooden bars blocking off the entrance. "Damn it!" Jasper hissed. A panic began to set in. Crunching footsteps reverberated around her. Jasper whipped around, eyes darting left to right. She didn't see anything behind her except for the stretching blank path of the white powder and barren trees. The dirt road narrowed until all she could see was darkness.

Jasper turned back to the bridge, desperately trying to find a gap in which she could escape. (Normally she would be ashamed that she was fleeing-- but she didn't know what was trying to attack her in this strange, unfamiliar land. It was a practical tactical choice.) Her bulky form couldn't possibly lodge itself through these wooden planks.... sure, the spaces were big enough to fit one of those tiny "children" Toriel was talking about, but. Not Jasper. Not by a long-shot.

Jasper sneered. The footsteps continued-- and suddenly, she heard a voice.

"H u m a n." It droned. The mysterious voice was deep and heavy.

Her muscles tensed. Whoever it was, it was right behind her.

The small bout of panic grew, but she suppressed it. The gem couldn't be overtaken by nerves. She stiffened completely, unmoving, contemplating escape options. She could take it out if she hurried, but what if they were armed? It was likely, but...

"D o n ' t  y o u  k n o w..." It continued. "H o w  t o  g r e e t  a  n e w  p a l?"

...

_Excuse me?_ Jasper thought. Her previous fear had dissipated into a heavy suspicion. What was a... "pal"?

"T u r n  a r o u n d  a n d  s h a k e  m y  h a n d." It said once more.

Now _that_ sounded like a threat. Jasper suddenly whipped around, her leg flying out in a kick, releasing a battle cry. Her foot brushed against a hard, round surface, and the figure fell with a whump onto the ground.

Jasper put her foot down on the creature's head...

Wait, no... skull.

Jasper looked past her foot... and saw a short, bony figure laying under her heel, on his side, nonchalantly.

It was clad in a thick blue coat-- and, for someone who lacked any trace of fat or muscle, seemed to be pudgy. He wore black shorts and pink slippers as well. _Improperly dressed for the cold, or for battle,_ Jasper noted. A large grin was on his face, and his hands were in his pockets. Yet another innocent looking monster. Curious. The gem blinked in surprise, her guard falling.

He looked quite relaxed down there, as if he was just having a peaceful nap. He struggled slightly, as if trying to get up. Jasper pushed his head back down with no effort. He then froze, stopped, and lay dormant on the ground. "oof. ah, well. It's comfortable down here anyway. nice place for a quick snooze. thanks for the knockover, bucko."

Jasper unclenched her fists and looked down at the skeleton in surprise. "You were the one who threatened me?" She said, half-surprised, half-angry.

"threatened?" He asked, face almost not moving. "nah, i didn't threaten you. unless hilarious fart jokes are dangerous." He shrugged. His entire demeanor was so unenthusiastic, so lazy. Jasper didn't like it. It almost seemed like an attitude, like he was mocking her.

She crossed her thick arms, sneering down at him. "You try anything like that again," She stopped down to his level, forcing a toothy grin. "And I'll smash your thick little skull in. Capiche?"

He blinked. "sure thing, rocky." He replied, eying her gem. "say... you aren't a human, are you?"

"Obviously not," She remarked. "I am a Gem, a member of a much more dignified species. Don't compare me to anything like those disgusting, weak things." She spat.

"huh. you're a real gem of a find, then." He said, grinning wider.

For some reason, this act of wordplay made Jasper cringe, grinding her teeth. She put a little more pressure on his head. He didn't respond except for a little chuckle. "Look," She said, standing up straight. The gem removed her foot from his cranium and pulled him to his feet by his puffy hood. He hug in midair, still calm. "Can you please just find me a way to get past this barrier here?" She gestured to the blocked-off bridge.

He took a hand out of his pocket on scratched his cheek, contemplating an answer. "yeah, actually." he replied. "i know a shortcut."

He was quiet for a moment. "so if you, could uh... put me down."

Jasper reluctantly lowered him to the ground. He rolled his neck, letting out a little sigh, the gestured to the thin trees beside them. "it's through here. i'll show you the way." He offered. "follow me."

The skeleton disappeared into the dark, shadowy forest, and Jasper followed after. He seemed to walk underneath low-handing branches just fine-- none so much as scraped his head. Jasper had more problems with this; she got a scratch or two trying to navigate. It was difficult to see. She murmured under her breath grumpily.

No matter how good the monster's intentions, Jasper was skeptical. The two seemed to be walking in a perfectly straight line. Her suspicions arose as the skeleton turned back to her with another large smile. "almost there," He said. The looked on his face... he seemed all to happy to show her the way. Such trustworthiness could only mean lies.

He was trying to trick her-- she could see it his eyes (eye sockets?). Well, she couldn't be fooled so easily. She wouldn't take this. As soon as she had a chance, Jasper would--

"we're here."

..."What?"

They had reached a clearing. A rickety sort of sentry post sat a few feet away, almost as unsteady as the bridge. The bridge that was now behind them.

By walking in a completely straight line, Jasper had apparently gotten to the other side without using the bridge. The gem's brain nearly short-circuited trying to decipher what had happened. The two took no turns of any sort; just maintaining a continuous forward pace. She looked down to the skeleton standing satisfied beside her, eyes wide, lips parted.

He looked back up with a grin. "welp," he huffed, rocking back and forth on his feet. "i believe you have gotten where you needed to go?"

Jasper nodded, dumbfounded. "How...?"

"i get around, beefcake." He shrugged. "anywho... i'm getting ahead of myself." He put out a bony hand, reaching up to Jasper. "i'm sans. sans the skeleton."

Jasper didn't know what to do with the hand. Whatever it was, it appeared to be a common Earth greeting among humans. What was the... point? Did she have to touch hands with him? What if it was a potential attack? She had never seen what to do before, so she just looked at the open palm, even more questions coming into her head.

He snickered under his breath. "take your time, beefy." He commented, waving his hand up and down a little. "ya just gotta shake it."

Jasper blinked. She lifted her opposite hand up and awkwardly grasped it around his. Her fingers reached all the way around his hand-- it was more so like she was holding a small object than giving a handshake. She noticed how small it was in comparison to hers. It was cold. The gem had expected it to be bigger, furrier... She lamented the previous monster's returning memory. Hmm. The skeleton was no Toriel, but this "Sans" would have to do.

He adjusted his hand in hers, and a loud PFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTT sound protruded from their handshake. She jerked back quickly, bringing her hands to her body, palms out. "What was that?!" She demanded.

Sans started chuckling. It wasn't a loud guffaw like she had expected from this short, stout creature-- just a little, rhythmic "heh heh heh heh heh." _Even his laughs are lazy._  She growled internally. Her eyebrow twitched in anger. Was he trying to make a fool of her by demonstrating some new, bizarre Earth tactic?

"ahh, the ol' whoopee cushion in-the-hand joke." He wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "you really gotta _hand_ that one to me, huh?"

Jasper was fuming with embarrassment and rage. Her face was red. "I told you if you do that ONE MORE TIME--"

He waved his hands calmly, still smiling. "don't worry about it, bucko. i'll lay off." He shoved his hands back in his pockets, looking up at Jasper, eyes half-lidded. "so, who're you? you don't seem like a human to me..."

"I've already said before, you miserable bag of bones," Jasper snarled. "I've already told you-- I'm not a human. I am a gem. Don't compare me to them."

Sans shrugged. "alright. well, nice to meet you, jass." he nodded. "see, i ask about you bein' a human because, well," He shrugs yet again. This repetitive action clearly disgruntles Jasper-- she decides that he does it on purpose. Ugh. "--my brother, papyrus... he's a human-hunting FANATIC." He stretches the last word, making it apparent that this "Papyrus" truly does enjoy hunting humans. "and, uh, y'know... i don't want him to be disappointed."

This piques Jasper's interest. Her arms cross, she raises her eyebrows slightly, and looks down at the small skeleton. _Papyrus does seem so far like a... tolerable person._ Jasper decided.  _After all, one who seems to hunt humans for sport... hrm. Not the most honorable profession, but still a respectable one. I'm not really one to belittle someone's hobbies._

Jasper focused on the final thing Sans had said. " 'Disappointed'?" She asked. "That I'm not a human?!" The gem remarked in disbelief.

Sans nodded. "yup."

She shot him a skeptical look. "So you're saying that this 'Papyrus' would rather have a weak, soft, squishy human than a proud, formidable gem like me?"

Sans nodded again. "yup." He repeated.

Jasper sneered. "Where is this Papyrus? I need to correct this insolent behavior. Humans, better than gems... tch..." She muttered, crossing her arms.

The skeleton craned his neck past her large form, looking down the pathway. He seemed to find what he was looking for, and he smiled, chuckling a little. "well, you're in luck. here he comes."

"Wonderful." Jasper grinned, rolling her neck, joints popping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The 'cry' was a sign of weakness; she wouldn't bring herself down to that."
> 
> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> (sorry guys Jasper is my musclebound wife and I want the best for her but this is my fic and wHO KNOWS WHAT WILL COME! Stay tuned!! Also, sorry this chapter is kinda short, I'm a lil busy here and there so yh)

**Author's Note:**

> sO I'M DOING THIS NOW IT LOOKS LIKE.  
> So my wife/Jasper has now fallen into the underground. Hooray. Nice job Pearl, you let her fall (it was seriously a great ep tho. 10/10) and now she has landed here. Let us see what hijinks ensue!
> 
> Please leave a review or a comment or a kudos, they make me feel special, happy, and especially happy! <3


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